1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner replenishing device for replenishing toner to a developing device in an electrostatic copying apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been well known an arrangement for supplying a proper amount of toner to a developing device through rotation of a sponge-like roller for a proper period of time. However, in order to employ such arrangement, it is necessary to maintain a state in which the toner contacts the peripheral surface of the sponge-like roller at all times, while it is also necessary to replenish a large amount of toner for effecting copying of a large number of copy paper sheets. Therefore, it has been consequently required that a comparatively great bulk of toner be stored in an accommodating or storing box. Accordingly, no toner replenishing device employing a storing box with a shallow bottom has been put into practical application up to the present, and even using a storing box having a deep bottom, it has been impossible to stably supply the toner to the developing device before the toner is almost completely consumed.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing device which is arranged to be capable of stably replenishing the toner through substantial elimination of the drawbacks of conventional arrangements of this kind.